Security on their mind

Security and a smooth ride for US President Barack Obama are the only things on Delhi Police's mind right now. From Sunday evening till Tuesday midnight, they want to keep the city roads completely clear. Karan Choudhury reports.

Security and a smooth ride for US President Barack Obama are the only things on Delhi Police's mind right now. From Sunday evening till Tuesday midnight, they want to keep the city roads completely clear.

HT Image

For obvious reasons, the traffic police have kept the travel plan of President Obama and his wife under wraps. The entire police force is now on alert so that traffic could be diverted or stopped at a moment's notice wherever and whenever Obamas' cavalcade passes through.

"Everything has been planned and all measures have been taken well in advance," said Satyendra Garg, joint commissioner of police (traffic).

The police and other security agencies have done checks of all routes and even conducted mock drills to assess preparedness of different agencies.

The police said the US Secret Services are in constant touch with all the Indian security agencies and have gone through and given their assent to the routes that have been decided.

Even the time of their visits to different sites in the Capital are classified information.

"On Sunday afternoon, the two carriageways from Indira Gandhi International airport to Maurya Sheraton located on Sardar Patel Marg will be closed for public when the President's convoy moves to the hotel from the airport," Garg said.